JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop and the Jersey City Office of Emergency Management announced on Tuesday that the city will open two heating centers for residents facing extreme cold with temperatures overnight between zero and 10 degrees.

Winds are expected to increase tonight with the arrival of the arctic front, with north to northwest winds averaging 15 to 25 miles per hour with gusts between 40 and 50 miles per hour. Wind chills are expected to reach -5 degrees overnight and again on Wednesday, with strong gusts lasting through the afternoon.

The Pershing Field Community Center (corner of Summit Avenue and Pershing Field Plaza) and the Bethune Center (140 Martin Luther King Drive) will be open from 8 p.m. tonight until 8 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, January 8, 2014.

All libraries will be open tomorrow for residents to seek relief from the cold temperatures which will remain in the low teens, which will feel in the single digits. Library addresses are available at: http://www.jclibrary.org

“We want our residents to take precautions during this extreme cold and are providing locations for any individuals who might need shelter,” said Mayor Fulop. “We also want landlords to know that we take violations of the heat and hot water ordinance seriously, and will be aggressive with enforcement.”

In addition to the heating centers, Housing Code inspectors have prioritized heat and hot water complaints in light of the extreme cold facing Jersey City, with up to 10 inspectors available for heat and hot water inspections. The city also has an overnight hotline (201-547-4821) where residents can leave complaints of heat and hot water violations. Those complaints received overnight are addressed first thing each morning by inspectors. Clerical staff works to immediately contact the owner – via email or phone – using an extensive database with the ability to contact many landlords almost immediately.

When a tenant complains that landlords turn the heat down during the middle of the night, city inspectors will place a Dickson Chart recorder which tracks temperatures minute by minute in a unit for 24 to 48 hours. A summons can be issued and a judge can fine violators up to $2,000/day for any landlord who does not comply with the heat ordinance.